U.s Citizen Killed In Syria Sectarian Violence Alongside 6 Druze Family Members

An American national from Oklahoma was killed on pinch six antheral relatives during the sectarian violence that erupted past week successful Syria.

Syrian-American Hosam Saraya, 35, was visiting his family successful Sweida successful confederate Syria from Oklahoma City, wherever he lived.

Last Wednesday, he and his family members were seized by equipped men and gunned down successful nan street, according to a comparative who said to NBC News connected nan information of anonymity. NBC News could not independently verify who was responsible for nan attack.

Video footage circulating online and verified by NBC News showed an execution-style shooting of Saraya and his family members.

In 1 video posted to Instagram, 8 men are seen forced to locomotion successful a statement connected a deserted thoroughfare westbound of Tishreen Square successful Sweida's metropolis halfway by astir half a twelve equipped men successful military-style fatigues.

In different video, nan aforesaid men are kneeling earlier being gunned down by nan equipped men, arsenic dozens of shots are fired complete 15 seconds.

A postgraduate of Oklahoma Christian University and Damascus University, Saraya was a personnel of Syria's Druze belief minority and had founded a virtual schoolhouse for Syrian children administered from Sweida.

“He loved to thief his community… He’s ever been, you know, very eager and very kind,” his comparative said.

The State Department connected Monday confirmed that an American national had been killed successful Syria but did not place them aliases supply immoderate further details.

“We connection condolences to nan family connected their nonaccomplishment and are providing consular assistance to them,” a spokesperson for nan State Department said, adding, “We are greatly concerned erstwhile immoderate U.S. national is harmed overseas, wherever they are.”

The spokesperson said nan U.S. had called for “accountability successful each cases wherever U.S. citizens are harmed abroad.”

Republican Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.) said successful a station connected X Monday that he and his woman were "heartbroken" by Saraya's death.

"Hosam was an Oklahoman and personnel of nan Druze organization who was tragically executed alongside different members of his family successful Syria," Lankford said.

Clashes first collapsed retired betwixt Syria’s Druze minority and Bedouin tribal militias earlier this month, drafting interventions from authorities information forces and Israel. Hundreds were reportedly killed successful nan clashes.

The fighting came to a region complete nan play aft nan Syrian authorities said it agreed to a vulnerable ceasefire pinch some sides.

As portion of nan U.S.-backed truce, nan Syrian authorities connected Monday began evacuating Bedouin families from nan predominantly Druze city.

“Escalating hostilities tin only beryllium contained pinch an statement to region violence, protect nan innocent, let humanitarian access, and measurement backmost from danger,” Thomas Barrack, Special Envoy for Syria, said successful a connection while announcing nan deal.

Israeli airstrikes successful Syria past week besides caught President Donald Trump by surprise, White Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Monday.

Trump “was caught disconnected defender by nan bombing successful Syria and besides nan bombing of a Catholic Church successful Gaza,” Leavitt said, adding, “In some accounts, nan president quickly called nan premier curate to rectify those situations.”

The caller outbreak of unit risks reigniting sectarian tensions successful nan state astir 7 months aft its longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad was toppled.

The Druze and different minorities remain wary of Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a erstwhile al-Qaeda commandant who met Trump successful May aft nan president said he would assistance sanctions connected nan war-torn country.

U.S. officials are now scrambling to incorporate nan violence, pinch Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling connected Damascus to forestall “violent jihadists” from “carrying retired massacres.”

“They must clasp accountable and bring to justness anyone blameworthy of atrocities including those successful their ain ranks,” Rubio said successful a connection Sunday.

More than 128,500 group person been displaced since nan clashes began July 13, according to nan United Nations’ International Organization for Migration.

U.N. Human Rights Chief Volker Turk said successful a connection past week that location were reliable reports of wide violations and abuses, including summary executions, arbitrary killings, kidnappings, demolition of backstage spot and looting of homes by nan Syrian authorities forces, arsenic good arsenic Druze and Bedouin fighters.